The present invention relates to a novel and useful dental care device.
Many dental care devices have been proposed to allow a person to carry out dental hygiene procedures such as brushing of teeth and flossing between adjacent teeth.
In the past, dental hygiene devices have employed the combination of toothbrushes and dental floss holders. For example, United States Patent Application Publication 2003/0019503 describes a dental floss holder which allows the dispensing of dental floss and also includes a toothbrush on the opposite end of the handle.
United States Patent Application Publication 2004/0187887, DES 191,821, DES 283,761, and DES 290,312 show the combination of a toothbrush in a dental floss holder in the form of a fork opposite the brush along the shaft.
United States Patent Application Publication 2005/0211262 describes a floss holder in combination with a toothbrush in which the floss is dispensed from the inside of the legs of the fork to the exterior thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,233,936 and DES 420,805 describe toothbrush and flosser combination in which the floss is extended from a spool on the toothbrush and held across the legs of a fork by a flange.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,537,853 and 2,113,439 teach dental cleaning devices in which a toothbrush is used in combination with a floss dispenser in the form of a fork that uses notches on the end of the fork to steady the floss material.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,517,806, 3,850,182, 4,016,891, and Patent Application Publication 2004/0040571 illustrate combined toothbrush and dental floss holders in which the dental floss is extended to a fork which includes an exterior groove to guide the floss to the spanning portion of the legs.
A dental care device which utilizes a toothbrush structure and a floss holder which is easy to use to be a notable advance in the field of the dental arts.